Civilised Life in the Universe: Scientists on intelligent extraterrestrials

WHY do scientists search the universe for other intelligent life? Historian George Basalla argues their quest is fundamentally religious, citing histories from Johannes Kepler to Carl Sagan. Most modern astronomers wouldn’t admit it in so many words, but Basalla says their hope that aliens from older and wiser worlds might save us from war, pollution and disease is based more on blind faith than on science. He also argues that their searching strategy is fatally flawed because it assumes alien communications will make sense to human technology and human minds. Basalla’s analysis is fresh, thoughtful and well worth reading, but…